(ACE) The SKY Team

"That's a really fucking tacky thing to say after what happened yesterday. I don't like him, but I'd really rather not have more people dropping like flies if I don't have to." Ibiza quirked a brow, shooting a questioning gaze towards Lancelot. The Furfrou, however, was reacting with a blank stare at his paws. The Glaceon twitched his nose, showing that he was attentive by straightening his posture. Ari began to bark out a blueprint for their advancement, "Icetits, Blowjob, you're with me. Then Acht, then Raven, then Fatass. Sound good?"

Acht clucked her affirmation. Lancelot breathed a sigh of relief--thank Arceus he wouldn't have to walk alone--but this relief was soon clouded with concern. He was walking with the two most abrasive members of the group (barring the cat), and he was the lowest on this pyramid. However, Ari didn't seem too keen on the idea of using him as bait, so that reassured the former show dog. But despite the caustic Archeops barely knowing Lancelot (save for his faux bravado and his faults), and clearly despising him, she still saw something morally wrong with using him as a lure. That was more than what he could say for Ibiza.

With a huff, Lancelot rose to his paws, stalking past the perplexed Glaceon. The sudden change in his usual submissive attitude stunned Ibiza, but he gave no external reaction. He followed with a brusque lash of his tail. Lancelot didn't bother stifling a growl at his precense. "The fuck's your problem?"

"You offered me as a meat shield," Lancelot spat, whirling around to meet his eyes. Ibiza remained stonefaced as he continued his rant, "that is the single most degrading act anyone could commit too. Even Ari, of whom abhors me, decided against that. What does that say about yourself?" Lancelot quivered with rage, swallowing the saliva that threatened to fall from his ensnarled lips. They could use him as a literal punching bag, but betrayal was one thing Lancelot would not tolerate. He didn't typically express fury in any form, but this injustice caused everything to bubble up within him until it boiled over. And Arceus, did it feel spectacular to let the sparks fly. Lancelot took advantage of this moment--the indignance making him feel indestructible, "you're a monster. So it's no suprise that you, the great and powerful Ibiza, would attack his own friend purely because he feels pity for himself." He shouldered past the tight-lipped Glaceon, taking his place beside Ari. "Let's go," hissed Lancelot.

"Ari," began Ibiza coolly, completely ignoring what had just transpired (which caused Lancelot to fume even more), "three floors above us is where I have sheltered." He craned his head skyward to emphasize. "That is the furthest I have been. My resources I have foraged will still be extended to you. I think that should be our first venture." Ibiza felt guilt rising, but he quashed it with the single thought that Lancelot, being in pursuit of the falsity of hope, was in the wrong and deserved to feel this way.

Icetits and Blowjob wasted no time in bickering back and forth between each other, which somehow surprised and didn't surprise Ari all in one go. She really wasn't even sure how it was possible. As she took her place in the front and everyone arranged themselves, the small spat between the two canine pokemon gave some insight-- did they already know each other? It certainly seemed like it, but their relationship was an enigma Ari was far too unwilling to solve. So unless they straight-up just shouted what was going on between them, she wouldn't know. Soon enough, Blowjob came to her side, still seething after the exchange. "Let's go," Blowjob hissed, to which the Archeops was more than happy to oblige.

"Ari." The Archeops turned to her name, noticing that Icetits didn't seem all that emotional after his fight, which seemed to only set Blowjob off more. Jesus, were these two fucking or something? With Blowjob's record, she wouldn't be wholly shocked. "Three floors above us is where I have sheltered." He craned his head skyward to emphasize. "That is the furthest I have been. My resources I have foraged will still be extended to you. I think that should be our first venture."

"That's fine," she grumbled back, popping her neck and shoulders as she turned back to the path ahead. "Till then we should be quiet. I don't want to chance fucking the day up so goddamn early."

The climb was relatively quiet, if only disrupted by McChu's constant need for conversation. Ari kept to herself, only ever really answering questions with grunts, keeping her mind on the journey. As they climbed higher, a feeling of unrest began to settle in the pit of her stomach. She didn't know what, but there was certainly something worth worrying over in the tower, or at its peak. Fear wasn't something she was genuinely accustomed to dealing with, or even anxiety. If something worried her, she usually just went and punched whatever it was in the fucking face.

But the ways things were, she had to wait to punch whatever was unnerving her. And the waiting, more than anything else, was making this journey worse and worse.

Thankfully, a distraction came in the form of what looked to be Icetits' camp. A decently defensible space decorated with signs of being lived in, Ari paused and looked back to the Glaceon. "This your place, I'm guessing?"

Acht could only...grimace and squint her eyes uncomfortably as the Glaceon and Furfrou started bickering (or, more accurately, Lancelot just running his mouth at him) within mere seconds. Somehow, she started feeling guilty about using the showdog as bait, and as she watched the canine march angrily to the front, and Ibiza simply...brushing it off?

Admittedly, she was a little stunned at the fact. The Glaceon seemed wholly unaffected by what Lancelot just spat at him—calling him a monster, pinning the blame, instilling guilt—but how? Acht fiddled her fingers awkwardly at the thought. It was disquieting. Did Ibiza really, really not care? Or—or maybe Acht was just blowing the situation out of proportion, maybe it's just her who thinks that it's a big deal? She took a cursory glance arou—

"That is the furthest I have been. My resources I have foraged will still be extended to you. I think that should be our first venture." Ibiza's talk of resources and shelter recaptured her attention as quickly as she had lost it, and Acht looked back to Ari.

"That's fine. Till then we should be quiet. I don't want to chance fucking the day up so goddamn early."

And so without much else, they started their ascent. Acht kept relatively quiet, though it was in part due to some leftover sleepiness, and focused primarily on safe passage. She wasn't so keen on the terrain which is perhaps a little odd for a Pokemon of her kind; but growing up in a human home with little outdoor experience proved to have stunted enough. Besides, she used to fly so much before what happened back at Fortree.

She really did miss her wings.

Clumsy with debris and not-so-stellar with the amount of walking involved, Acht made sure to put in extra effort to keep steady and hopefully not fall face flat in the middle of their hike. Being so close to the front meant she had to keep up well, and she especially didn't want to upset or burden anyone in the group.

Thankfully they managed fine, and Acht stopped behind Ari and peeked around her to take a few glances at the camp ahead. Ibiza mentioned resources, right? That means he should have some sort of food—

After Lancelot's little rant Raven had chosen to hang back, barely catching the rest of the new conversation between Feather's and Creepy. Instead she allowed her attention to drift to a particular ball of dread that was beginning to grow in the pit of her stomach, pulsing and growing larger with each flight of stairs the group took upwards. The fact that the group was practically silent the entire rest of the way up allowed the feline to focus inwards on the impending sense of doom to try and make sense of it.

They made it to Creepy's place without issue, other than what appeared to be a still pissed off dog moping about being considered as bait, but the feeling didn't go away. If anything it was worse now that they were here. Raven's fur was beginning to bristle at the distracting sensation, her nerves becoming frayed as she failed yet again to locate the source of her dread. Something was up there. It had to be. She didn't know what, she didn't know where, and she didn't know when they would encounter it but it was there. Lurking. Waiting. Most likely hunting. And she didn't want to be alone when they met it face to face.

So as much as Jizzy annoyed her and Creepy's sense of superiority bugged her they were going to have to stay whether they liked it or not. What was that old saying? 'I don't have to outrun the monster, I just have to outrun you?' Yeah, that sounded like the right one. And that was the plan.

"That's fine," groused an irritated Ari. "Till then we should be quiet. I don't want to chance fucking the day up so goddamn early." Lancelot prepared himself for a glare to be inevitably shot in his direction, but all eyes were set on the road ahead. Satisfied, he gave a hurried lash of his spaded tail before pressing onwards.

Even Ibiza could sense tension growing as the group ascended. He narrowed his frosty eyes, trying to block out the pesky thoughts that had invaded him beforehand. By God, he was almost feeling again. How disgusting it would be, to tumble into that fallacy as he had before. He curled his lip at the Furfrou, of whom was stalking ahead in angst.

Eventually, they ended up at the Glaceons' makeshift shelter. "This your place, I'm guessing?" Ibiza gave a brusque nod. "You may take the resources you need, provided you leave some behind for me."

"Whatever for?"

"Pardon?" glowered the ice type, his tongue rattling with a hiss. Lancelot was beginning to really vex him, prodding his nose around in business that it didn't belong in.

"Once the tide rolls away, you aren't going to sojourn here. We know your location, and that mere thought terrifies you. So you'll flee, without your resources, scrapping up whatever you can along the way, holding on to the pitiful thought that you can begin anew." Lancelot huffed, contemplating spitting on the ground before Ibiza, but decided against it. That was far below his standards; and besides, Ibiza had become something that even Lancelots' saliva wouldn't have the dignity to touch.

The Glaceon blinked in response; he hadn't thought about it much, but Lancelot was right. But he wouldn't dare admit that. Rather, he lashed his tail behind him, responding in a cold, calculating drawl, "Fine. You wanna play a game of show and tell? So be it. I shouldn't downgrade myself to your childish levels, but if you want to throw a tantrum, I'll fight fire with fire." Ibiza hunkered down into a fighting stance, snorting and stomping his paw on the ground, akin to a Tauros ready to charge. "I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say, 'I've about had e-fucking-nough of you.' Now, if you wanna fight, put up or shut up. Otherwise, take the latter advice and clamp up."

Lancelot, astonished by Ibizas' fiery reaction, whirled around with wide eyes. Once again, he weighed his options: he could fight and lose hysterically, or back down and be seen as a coward again.

"Or, are you just mad because I won't let you fondle my man purse?"

That crude remark sent Lancelot into a snarling uproar. Without consideration for the others around him, he barked himself into a frenzy, inching closer to the smug Ibiza with careful pawsteps. Anger blurred his vision until he saw nothing but an attack scope encompassing his former friend.

"Well? Go on, fight me, bastard."

Almost uncontrollably, he struck, and his teeth found their way around Ibiza's exposed neck. Ibiza sputtered in surprise, attempting to kick the other canine off of him, but his still-damp pelt added more weight onto him. Lancelot bowled him over, pinning him down with heavy paws, withdrawing his grip from Ibizas throat. He thrust his snarling muzzle into Ibiza's (somehow) straight face.

Ibiza had never seen Lancelot like this before, so filled with rage. He felt the warm trickle of fresh blood ooze from the puncture wounds in his neck. And there was Lancelots' old friend, laying beneath him at a disadvantage. Although his face exposed no emotion, there was clear fear in his wild eyes.

Ari had wandered to the far side of the camp when the two began to bicker. Bickering was normal now, so she hadn't paid attention. But when the sharp snarl and McChu's, "Fight, fight, fight!" echoed behind her, she whirled and saw Blowjob on Icetits, the latter's neck in his long maw. Emitting a snarl of her own, she dashed forward and headbutted Blowjob straight in the ribs.

"What the ever-loving-fuck is WRONG with you!?" she snapped, putting herself between the two males, her plumage fluffed and raised. She looked between them, her face contorted into a sort of rage that had only been achieved sparsely before. "I don't care if you like each other, hate each other, fuck each other, whatever. Don't. Fucking. Fight. If either of you keeps this up, I'm going to personally send you careening off the ledge my-fucking-self. I've had it. You fucking get it through your thick fucking skulls? HAD IT."

She kicked Icetits in the ribs in an effort to get him up. "Stop instigating this shit. Stop furthering it. Stop taking the fucking bait," she snapped at Blowjob. "When we get to the top, have-fucking-at. I don't care if you both jump off the top. But until then, keep it FUCKING TOGETHER." With that, she gave Icetits one last kick and stormed off, plumage still raised.

McChu watched her stomp off, then looked to the other two and shrugged. "Guess we're not stopping, then."

[[Please, please let me know if this is ok, Fern. I can edit if I need. I just really didn't know what else to do lol]]

Acht knew very well the sentiment was unrealistic but really, why couldn't they just all get along?

With her empty stomach and stressed composure, the Aerodactyl was at a loss. She stood there watching the two canines have at it—of course, McChu's chanting didn't help—and Arceus, she just didn't know what to do. What can she do? Words are obviously not going to do anything, not to mention her suggestions were probably too peaceful for them to acknowledge, and she couldn't just barge in there to stop them—

But of course, Ari does just that. "What the ever-loving-fuck is WRONG with you!?" The Archeop's voice is so loud that even Acht flinched, hunching over as she peered at the two being scolded. "I don't care if you like each other, hate each other, fuck each other, whatever. Don't. Fucking. Fight. If either of you keeps this up, I'm going to personally send you careening off the ledge my-fucking-self. I've had it. You fucking get it through your thick fucking skulls? HAD IT. Stop instigating this shit. Stop furthering it. Stop taking the fucking bait. When we get to the top, have-fucking-at. I don't care if you both jump off the top. But until then, keep it FUCKING TOGETHER."

Acht flinched again, casting Ari a worried look as she stomped past, before looking back at the two boys. Should she say something? "Uh-m..." she opened her mouth to speak, before promptly closing it. Don't get yourself tangled in this mess, Acht. Just worry about yourself. Hesitant, she slowly turned away to face Ibiza's camp, cautiously taking a few steps in the general direction.

She felt bad for not saying anything—maybe she should've at least asked if they were ok? Oh, she should've at least checked up on them after their tussle, but she also didn't want to be caught in the middle of another fight, but...

Acht ends up turning back to Ibiza and Lancelot, shuffling to stand nearby McChu. She'd feel bad if she got caught up in another brawl, but she'd feel worse if she didn't even ask. "Um...are you two alright...?"

While Raven had expected more bitching, especially given how fond of it Jizzy seemed to be, when it turned into an all out dogfight the feline found herself jumping up out of the path of the tumbling warriors and hissing loudly. Fucking dogs always messing around when they should be doing more productive things! Even Bitch-Queen had more control! "You two idiots need to stop right now before you break something," she hissed angrily. "I'm not here to babysit you."

But it was Feathers who was going to have the final word, her voice carrying more venom than she had ever heard the large reptile-bird thing use. "What the ever-loving-fuck is WRONG with you!?" She stepped in between the two quarreling lovebirds and gave them a look of barely constrained rage. It was a look that said she would rip them in half herself if it kept them quiet and Raven was somewhat glad she wasn't on the receiving end of it. The Persian flattened herself to her rocky perch and watched from just over her paws the rest of the altercation.

"I don't care if you like each other, hate each other, fuck each other, whatever. Don't. Fucking. Fight. If either of you keeps this up, I'm going to personally send you careening off the ledge my-fucking-self. I've had it. You fucking get it through your thick fucking skulls? HAD IT." She gave Creepy a kick to try and get him moving. "Stop instigating this shit. Stop furthering it. Stop taking the fucking bait,"

"When we get to the top, have-fucking-at. I don't care if you both jump off the top. But until then, keep it FUCKING TOGETHER." With her piece said Feathers stormed off and Sparkles put in his own little quip as their leader practically charged towards the next set of stairs. Raven wanted to bring up the heavy feeling carving a pit into her stomach but given what just happened she wasn't sure Feathers was going to be up for the warning. So instead Raven decided to just keep her eyes peeled for anything malicious or dangerous and hopefully be able to call out a warning before it fucked over the group. Hopefully.

Both Ibiza and Lancelot curled their lip at the sound of McChus' infernal cheering. Their eyes, however, remained locked on eachother, in case either waived any resilience. Neither would have backed down if Ari hadn't of intervened with a valiant caterwaul. Foul language seemed to be her speciality, but it drove the point home. Lancelot receded back into the group on his own accord, while Ibiza laid there in quiet shock.

However, Aris' foot came smacking into his side, and with pained groan, he clambered to his paws. "What the fuck?!" Lancelot took several wracking breaths, panting as he watched the spat ensue. Even though just a few seconds ago, he was hovering over Ibiza with the intent to maim, to see him harmed didn't sit right with him. He felt frustration rise like bile in his throat.

"Stop instigating this shit. Stop furthering it. Stop taking the fucking bait. When we get to the top, have-fucking-at. I don't care if you both jump off the top. But until then, keep it FUCKING TOGETHER." Ibiza set a pair of malicious, frosty eyes on Lancelot. "Fine. Whatever tickles your damn fancy." The Glaceon kept one paw poised in the air as he watched Ari storm off, making sure Lancelot could catch a glimpse of his glinting claws. He didn't want to hinder the group. In fact, Ibiza now wanted to get to the top as fast as fucking possible so he could be left alone. That's all he was good for anyways. The blood on his neck solidified this; trust was a false hope, and he was foolish to believe in that, even for the tiniest of moments.

"Um...are you two alright...?"

But Lancelot was already far ahead, bounding forth like a puppy chasing a butterfly. He was suddenly energized by the fight; by God, he could hold his own, and even though they all disagreed with the premise, he showed that he could. His tail pumped behind him. A deep, all-consuming black hole of regret was avoided with the slightest of confidences.

Ibiza turned to the Aerodactyl with a snort. "Fine. Fuckin' fantastic, let's go." he murmured, before trekking ahead with the others, refusing to acknowledge the warm trickle of blood now seeping down his chest.

[[ooc; you're fine, Silver. just an fyi, anyone has permission to push them apart, beat them up, whatever, at any time for being pissy. lol]]

"Fine. Whatever tickles your damn fancy." McChu glanced over at the wounded ice type, watching him a moment as Ari continued to storm off, Blowjob bounding after her as happy as could be. His ear twitched as Icetits' pride bled from him as well as the blood itself. Yeah, he'd be pretty embarrassed too if a matted moron like Blowjob had kicked his ass too.

Chickie Poo, far too sweet for her own good, watched the other male for a moment before hesitantly asking, "Um...are you two alright...?" While Blowjob was, again, too far ahead to answer, Icetits scoffed at her concern, earning a small frown from the pudgy Raichu.

"Don't feel bad, Chickie Poo," he consoled, placing a gentle round paw on the Aerodactyl's wing. "He's just pissy he lost to Blowjob so immediately. If he weren't ok, he wouldn't be skittering off so quickly. And look at Blowjob-- he's acting like a puppy. They'll be fine." He gave her a broad grin and took a few steps forward. "Come on-- let's not get left behind, yeah?"

In the meantime, Ari glanced over to the wall, and to her surprise, the mural was still there. Being a floor up, of course, meant that there were now new drawings and symbols, which apparently were in the same style as the ones lower. Just how big was this fucker? She paused in her angry stomping to stare at it. Some of those pictures looked like... people? Pokemon?

"Hey Icetits," she growled out, her ire from before still lingering. "This is your floor. You know what the fuck these drawings are?"

"Fine. Fuckin' fantastic, let's go." was the only response Acht received from the Glaceon; the Furfrou already bounding forward with new-found vigor without the slightest comment. The Aerodactyl could only watch the two uncomfortably, her worried look faltering as they simply walked away.

Of course, McChu was always there to help her feel better. She felt his round, stubby paw on one of her wings accompanied by his voice. "Don't feel bad, Chickie Poo. He's just pissy he lost to Blowjob so immediately. If he weren't ok, he wouldn't be skittering off so quickly. And look at Blowjob-- he's acting like a puppy. They'll be fine."

"I mean...I guess you're right," she admitted, mumbling out her words. Acht was still watching the Glaceon sulk away. "Yeah...yeah."

When she turned to face McChu again, she was greeted by his vibrant smile. "Come on-- let's not get left behind, yeah?"

"Right!" She nodded enthusiastically as she casted aside her concerns for the two canines. McChu was right—they'll both be fine, probably, and they had larger things to worry about. That's what she needs to focus on now—it's not like there's anything she could do for the Glaceon or Furfrou.

Acht diligently followed the Raichu until she heard Ari mention something about drawings, and curiously she wandered over. She took a quick peak at the mural, blinking in surprise at the art. "It's...definitely different than the one below us," she mumbled, words filling with awe. "So this means that mural does continue up the floors...and look—those ones look like little humans—"

With her enthusiastic gesture to the painted wall, Acht squinted and took a few steps back to see the entire picture. "I wonder...I wonder what it's trying to tell."

As they walked it seemed Daisy's attempt at placating the hissing hounds was not well received, Creepy's biting answer making the poor female shrink like a violet. Raven's eyes narrowed dangerously as she glared back at the callous male, close to telling him off if he upset Daisy again. But McChu seemed to have the tension breaker handy as he toddled up to his gal pal and gave her a big grin. "Don't feel bad, Chickie Poo. He's just pissy he lost to Blowjob so immediately. If he weren't ok, he wouldn't be skittering off so quickly. And look at Blowjob-- he's acting like a puppy. They'll be fine."

Raven snickered and left them to their own devices, walking a bit faster to close the gap between herself and Ari as they ascended the next set of stairs. She wanted to try and warn the other female about the strange feeling but as they crossed the gap to the next floor the Persian was suddenly at a loss for words. Whatever her senses had been picking up was astronomically higher up here and her whole body felt like it was being crushed from the pressure. What the fuck was making this kind of atmosphere?

She began to cough and hack to try and clear her chest, the ability to breath becoming more difficult. How were the others not sensing this shit? Was it because she was a cat? Surely the dogs noticed... But as far as she could tell none of them felt anything like she did. That just made it all the more fucking creepy. The others seemed fascinated with another picture on the wall but all Raven wanted to do was hunt whatever was doing this to her. Her fur began to raise as she stalked around the room, tail bushing out whenever the feeling got stronger, and she traced the pressure all the way to the next set of stairs. Whatever it was it was one floor above them, and if she had her way it was going to die there.

((Next round I am going to intro another character who is going to play some mindfucks on the group. Hope you're all ready for some fun!))

"Hey Icetits. This is your floor. You know what the fuck these drawings are?"

Ibiza snorted, not only because of the foul nickname (of which he had no hope of quashing now), but because of Aris' scathing tone. "No idea, Dyke, I just live here," he mumbled darkly, licking a forepaw and running it over his drooping ears.

"I wonder...I wonder what it's trying to tell."

"I have to say, like Acht here, the curiosity has not eluded me," he paced along the walls, running his tail over the scuplted murals. He shot an apologetic gaze at the Aerodactyl, hoping she caught it in return. He didn't like that he had been so rash towards her; as much as he loved exposing others flaws, nothing she had done warranted him the right to. His wrath was only for the deserving; he shot an obligatory gaze at Lancelot.

But does he really deserve it? His heart pummeled, his gaze faltered, and he remained still.

"I may have an idea," Lancelot piped up, sweeping his tail along the pillars as Ibiza had done. The Glaceon curled his lip. "I have come to believe that these portray Gods. I have seen illustrations similar to this before. There's a building in Sinnoh, with superb decoration and the most elegant stained glass you will ever lay your eyes upon, that has depictions akin to these. Not with the same Gods, but I think they are Gods nonetheless."

"Maybe these deities reside here," thought Ibiza aloud, automatically biting his tongue due to engaging in the Furfrous' conversation. But there was no anger in Lancelots eyes as he shook his head from side to side, as if contemplating Ibizas' response.

Lancelot had already forgiven him, but Ibiza still held on to the notion that forgiveness was a myth forged by the weak. The Furfrou knew grudges would be the death of his former friend, and it pained him. Once night fell, and he was out of the Archeops' scrutinizing gaze, he would talk to him once more. He was going to earn the old Ibiza back. No matter what it took.

Ari stared at the paintings as the others gathered around her. Acht spoke next as the Archeops continued to stare at the strange markings. She certainly hoped these weren't some sort of warning for whatever waited for them at the top. "It's...definitely different than the one below us... So this means that mural does continue up the floors...and look—those ones look like little humans—"

Huh, they kinda did looks like humans. Acht backed away a little, if only to see more of the painting as a whole. "I wonder...I wonder what it's trying to tell."

"I have to say, like Acht here, the curiosity has not eluded me." Ari had to suppress a groan, the mutt's elaborate droll bullshit a little too heavy on her thinned patience. Well, he wasn't bitching, at least, or fighting with the guy that was more or less guiding them through the tower. So there was that?

"I may have an idea," Blowjob began in an almost educational tone of voice, the small innocuous phrase earning a groan from McChu. Ari couldn't help but share that reaction in her mind. "I have come to believe that these portray Gods. I have seen illustrations similar to this before. There's a building in Sinnoh, with superb decoration and the most elegant stained glass you will ever lay your eyes upon, that has depictions akin to these. Not with the same Gods, but I think they are Gods nonetheless."

Well, that wasn't nearly as painful as she had prepared herself for. Even Icetits seemed to consider it. "Maybe these deities reside here."

Ari's frown deepened. "If they did, don't you think we would have woken them up here? We haven't exactly been the quietest group." She turned back to look at the rest of them, then at the damage the tower sustained. "I dunno. This place looks fucking abandoned-- like it was way before the world ended. Would a God really stay in a rickety old tower?"

McChu shrugged. "Maybe they don't know the tower's in shit condition. Aren't Legends supposed to sleep for, you know, eons? Maybe whatever's in the tower is just snoozin'."

She gave a cursory look to the others to see what they thought of the massive paintings. Her gaze flickered to the Glaceon as he spoke her name. "I have to say, like Acht here, the curiosity has not eluded me." At the same time, she caught the apologetic glance for what, she assumed, happened moments ago and in return offered a smile—she wasn't one to hold grudges.

Though Ibiza had little idea of what the mural might be, Acht was admittedly a little surprised to hear Lancelot speak up with something substantial. "I may have an idea. I have come to believe that these portray Gods. I have seen illustrations similar to this before. There's a building in Sinnoh, with superb decoration and the most elegant stained glass you will ever lay your eyes upon, that has depictions akin to these. Not with the same Gods, but I think they are Gods nonetheless."

She blinked and echoed, "Gods?"

"Maybe these deities reside here." Ibiza's statement only made Acht more startled. The very thought was mind-boggling. Gods? Here? Living in this tower? It was one thing to bring up the idea of deities existing, and even still being present in the current world, but for them to live here?

Ari seemed to have a similar train of thought, questioning the idea. "If they did, don't you think we would have woken them up here? We haven't exactly been the quietest group. I dunno. This place looks fucking abandoned-- like it was way before the world ended. Would a God really stay in a rickety old tower?"

"Maybe they don't know the tower's in shit condition. Aren't Legends supposed to sleep for, you know, eons? Maybe whatever's in the tower is just snoozin'."

McChu brought up a fair point, and Acht could only stare up at the mural in a mixture of wonder and bewilderment. Gods. The possibility of great beings living in this tower. Thoughts raced through her head as she took another step back, and though she had many, many questions to ask, only a quiet statement mumbled out of her mouth when she finally spoke. "...are gods susceptible to the infection too?"

It was frightening, really. The very idea seemed almost contradictory. For a being so powerful, so grandiose and worshipped by the population, to be able to be afflicted with the terror that's destroying their followers? Is that even possible?

Regardless of the answer, her attention was soon stolen by the silhouette at the edge of her vision, just near the stairs. Raven. All bushy-tailed and fur raised—was something wrong? "...Raven?" she asked in her usual concerned tone, gently furrowing her brow. "Is something wrong?"

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Sky Pillar | Late Morning ((Rain))R-75 / N - 1

Left. Left. Right. Left again. Whatever it was up there it was moving, changing, and every shift in the air caused another current to run over her fur like lightning. Her fur continued to bristle sharply until she was sure she looked like a Maine Coon, just all fluff and no bulk. She followed the trails of energy as they moved about the room above until she became dizzy from the effort, but still she refused to rest.

The others continued their debate about the origin of the paintings and Raven was about ready to scratch them just to get them to pay attention. How could they not feel the atmosphere? How could they not sense the sparks of electricity shooting through the air? Something wasn't right and it was practically screaming at them not to come near and yet none of them even seemed to care. Was she losing her mind?

"...Raven? Is something wrong?" Daisy's concerned voice caused the Persian to pause in her nervous stalking, ears flicking back up as she looked over to the gentle flyer. "No...maybe...I'm not sure actually. Something-" her gaze lifted towards the ceiling as another tingle ran down her spine. "Something is up there and I don't like the way it feels. We need to be careful."

~^~

Nyx giggled quietly to herself, tracing the path's of the creatures below her through the echoes of their voices as they moved about their room. She had been stalking them since they made their way to the ice-fiend's lair, waiting for her chance to steal the voice of each one. Learning Ibiza's voice had been easy enough, the idiot had been living only a couple of floors below her for a while now, and she had grown tired of him since he never came into her domain. But these new ones...they were steadily exploring the ruins. She finally had a chance at a little fun.

It was irksome that the feline was there, their kind sensitive to energy produced by spirits, and she was already trying to find the source of the disturbance. Every time she stretched or manipulated a shadow she could hear the feline following it from the floor below, in almost the same way she was following their voices. She would have to deal with the cat first once they stepped into the shadow realm she had created, but given her sensitivity towards the dinosaur that shouldn't be a problem. All it took was the right voice...

"If they did, don't you think we would have woken them up here? We haven't exactly been the quietest group." Lancelot felt his ears perk in anticipation of Aris' stern glare, but there was none. He was still embarrassed about their spat, of course, but he had realized at this point that he wasn't to blame. "I dunno. This place looks fucking abandoned-- like it was way before the world ended. Would a God really stay in a rickety old tower?"

"Maybe they don't know the tower's in shit condition. Aren't Legends supposed to sleep for, you know, eons? Maybe whatever's in the tower is just snoozin'."

"Plausible theory," deduced Lancelot. "As far as I know, Legends who have fallen to slumber for an extended period of time can only be awoken by a certain trigger. Something that pertains to them and their posistion in the worlds order." He huffed after this, as awestruck as Acht was. The possibility of being in the midst of a God...well, despite his recent triumph and brilliant lexicon, even he was undeserving. His tail pumped behind him, nevertheless.

"Ahh, please. If Gods are real, they have abandoned us. I feel like there wouldn't be fuckin' zombies roaming around otherwise," Ibiza hissed, ignoring Lancelots sour expression and turning to study the feline, who seemed to finding intense interest in...whatever the fuck she was doing. He crept low to the ground, his underbelly sliding against the stone floor, squinting his eyes as he mimicked Ravens' ghost-like stare.

"Something is up there and I don't like the way it feels. We need to be careful," informed Raven, acknowledging the Aerodactyl behind them.

Lancelot felt his pelt bristle. "Whatever lurks in the shadows, its giving off a peculiar energy. Stay alert. I will throw a Protect up if it comes close."

"There's definitely something out there," affirmed Ibiza, not talking to anyone in particular. He remained as still as the darkness that lie before them. Suddenly, in the black, something began to shift. A snarl rose in his throat, and he stomped on the ground. "Get ready," he said with an almost bemused flair, a cold energy crackling around him.

"Plausible theory," Blowjob affirmed, earning an eyeroll from McChu. Maybe he should call him "Professor Blowjob instead. Heh heh heh, that really had a nice ring to it. "As far as I know, Legends who have fallen to slumber for an extended period of time can only be awoken by a certain trigger. Something that pertains to them and their position in the world's order." The pudgy rat frowned. While it made sense, how the fuck did some pansy show dog know shit about gods and waking them up? What, was one of his hair dressers super religious or something?

Icetits seemed to be on the wary side as well. "Ahh, please. If Gods are real, they have abandoned us. I feel like there wouldn't be fuckin' zombies roaming around otherwise." Decent point. Either they didn't fucking care or...

"...are gods susceptible to the infection too?"

McChu turned to look at Chickie Poo, unsure of what to make of her whispered query, then directed himself back at the giant mural. The image of an infected Ho-Oh or Articuno was absolutely terrifying, even to someone such as McChu. They had unimaginable power to begin with. Add on dead and insane... "Well that would make them pretty shitty gods, wouldn't it?" McChu smugly answered. "Come on. I think they're a little too powerful to catch the zombie cold. They've lived for hundreds or even thousands of years. I don't think they even can die."

However, as he turned to look back at Chickie Poo, she was no longer at his side. Instead, she'd gone to a now very fluffy and pacing Toots. Slightly alarmed at the cat's state, he followed Chickie Poo and watched the cat for a moment as they conversed. The shit was going on now? "...Raven? Is something wrong?"

"No...maybe...I'm not sure actually. Something-" She looked up again, prompting McChu to do the same. Even Ari had caught notice and wandered over as well, staring up into the inky blackness above them with an unimpressed scowl reminiscent of her brother's. "Something is up there and I don't like the way it feels. We need to be careful."

"Whatever lurks in the shadows, its giving off a peculiar energy. Stay alert. I will throw a Protect up if it comes close." Now Blowj-- Professor Blowjob was getting in on it?

"There's definitely something out there," Icetits chimed in, but their agreement only served to agitate and confuse Ari and McChu, respectfully. McChu felt the chill from the cool morning air filtering in through the tower, he felt the dampness that came with literally being in the middle of the ocean and the tower was fucking creepy. Sure, there was... something... giving him a little of the heebie-jeebies, but that was probably because everyone else was talking about it now, goddammit. "Get ready."

"Get ready for what?" Ari growled, squinting into the dark and seeing absolutely nothing. "What the shit are any of you blabbering about? I don't feel a goddamn thing. I don't smell anything, and the only thing I see and hear is fucking black and a bunch of superstitious bullshit. Come on, it's probably just some Undead fucking around, eating its own rotting cock. We'll be fine."

At this point, Raven looked like a ball of pale fluff. "No...maybe...I'm not sure actually. Something—Something is up there and I don't like the way it feels. We need to be careful."

With the feline's words, Acht's gaze slowly drifted up to stare at the ceiling, squinting as if to identify the entity Raven mentioned. There was something up there? Even Ibiza and Lancelot seemed to agree, already getting into position. Even McChu seemed at least a little unsettled—what, was this a mammal thing?

Well, at least she wasn't alone in not understanding what in the world everyone else was experiencing—Ari was the same. "Get ready for what? What the shit are any of you blabbering about? I don't feel a goddamn thing. I don't smell anything, and the only thing I see and hear is fucking black and a bunch of superstitious bullshit. Come on, it's probably just some Undead fucking around, eating its own rotting cock. We'll be fine." Well, that was certainly a very colourful mind image, but that aside Acht nodded her gentle agreement.

"I-I don't understand either," she admitted and, despite her lack of intuition like the others, her voice still trembled—what if there really was something there and she couldn't feel it? "I-Is there really something there? Or, er, um...should we check it out? If it is just an undead then we can just clear it out—..." Her voice trailed off as she watched her more furry companions; what was it that they were feeling?

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Sky Pillar | Late Morning ((Rain))R-76 / N - 2

"Whatever lurks in the shadows, its giving off a peculiar energy. Stay alert. I will throw a Protect up if it comes close." Raven glared at the pompous pooch as he suddenly acted like he knew or even cared that they had been stalked this entire time. He had been too busy with his boyfriend to even notice until she said something but now he thought he could protect them? It wasn't even on this floor!

"There's definitely something out there. Get ready." This time she scoffed and turned on the two dogs. "Oh please!" But she couldn't finish her thought as a suddenly very annoyed Feathers cut in and began her own rant. "Get ready for what? What the shit are any of you blabbering about? I don't feel a goddamn thing. I don't smell anything, and the only thing I see and hear is fucking black and a bunch of superstitious bullshit. Come on, it's probably just some Undead fucking around, eating its own rotting cock. We'll be fine."

"You don't smell anything because it is on the next floor Feathers, we would have to go up another level to figure out what this stupid prick is. And since that is your intention anyway I say we get it over with. Who wants to go hunting?"

"I-Is there really something there? Or, er, um...should we check it out? If it is just an undead then we can just clear it out—..." The Persian felt some of her anger lessening at the timid voice, looking over to Daisy as the flyer began to fret. "Yeah, there is. But I'm sure we can handle whatever it is. It just has an energy that gives me the heebie jeebies. Don't worry yourself okay?"

~^~

Nyx giggled gleefully as she listened to the group down below her, ecstatic that she now had perfect examples of each one to mimic. As they discussed what to do about a sinister smile spread across her hollow trunk like a terrifying pumpkin carving she had once seen.

((When we reach the next floor Nyx is going to start a haunt, the next floor will be pitch black because she manipulated the shadows and she is going to lure the others away from each other with near perfect imitations of their voices. Hope everyone is ready for some fun!))

"Come on, it's probably just some Undead fucking around, eating its own rotting cock. We'll be fine." Lancelot hated to admit it, but Aris' assurance, (although positively uncouth), put him at ease. Certainly, if she was confident enough to take down an Undead, than she could do it. Mind over matter, after all. And although she technically wasn't "on his side," Lancelot was content with having her in the group; she made him feel safer. He absentmindedly inched closer towards the Archeops, though it was so nonchalant, you wouldn't notice it unless you were actively watching him--which Ibiza, of course, was keeping a watch on him through his periphreal vision, but said nothing.

"You don't smell anything because it is on the next floor Feathers, we would have to go up another level to figure out what this stupid prick is. And since that is your intention anyway I say we get it over with. Who wants to go hunting?"

"I'm down," snorted Ibiza, lashing his spaded tail. He took a few valiant steps forward, whipping his head over his shoulder with a force that caused his ears to flap behind him. "Wanna put the 'show' in 'shitshow,' right?"

Ari turned to Raven as she spoke. "You don't smell anything because it is on the next floor Feathers, we would have to go up another level to figure out what this stupid prick is. And since that is your intention anyway I say we get it over with. Who wants to go hunting?" Ari grinned at the thought; some hunting would be an excellent way to work off all this tension that had built from all the bitching and whining.

"I-I don't understand either," Acht admitted sadly. "I-Is there really something there? Or, er, um...should we check it out? If it is just an undead then we can just clear it out—..."

"Yeah, there is. But I'm sure we can handle whatever it is. It just has an energy that gives me the heebie jeebies. Don't worry yourself okay?"

"Yeah, there is. But I'm sure we can handle whatever it is. It just has an energy that gives me the heebie jeebies. Don't worry yourself okay?" With Raven's words, Acht's gaze slowly drifted and lingered to the stairs leading on up. So there is something up there and, normally she wouldn't be so frightened but, she couldn't even feel it. The Aerodactyl couldn't even imagine what beast could be lurking up there, with an aura to put the others at such unease...

In regards to Raven's remark about hunting, Ibiza took no time to take a few grand steps forward. "I'm down. Wanna put the 'show' in 'shitshow,' right?"

"Sweet. I like this plan." Ari was all for it, too. "Lead the way."

She was still uncomfortable; she couldn't help it. With the brief scare that came with the others detecting whatever was up there first, Acht couldn't do anything to offset the faint churn of dread in her stomach. All she could do was reassure herself—it probably wasn't anything severe, and besides, they have power in numbers, don't they? Their group was no stranger to battle either; if it was a single entity or small group they'd likely have no trouble in bringing it down. She just had to be brave about it.

"Y-Yeah!" Acht blurted out, maybe just a tad louder than she intended, as she subconsciously inched closer to the group for safety. "Let's do it!"

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Sky Pillar | Late Morning ((Rain))R-77 / N - 3

"I'm down," Raven couldn't help but roll her eyes at Creepy's showboating, reminding her exactly how Jizzy knew the weird bastard. They were both show mutts. "Wanna put the 'show' in 'shitshow,' right?" She sighed and mumbled a brief 'whatever' before starting to head towards the stairs.

"Sweet. I like this plan. Lead the way." Feather's turned to her and nodded leaving Raven alone to begin the trek upward and into the unknown territory of some creature none of them knew about. Ever step closer felt like electricity coursing through her body until once again her fur was standing almost completely on end from the tip of her tail to her nose. It also wasn't helping that as she kept getting closer nothing seemed to get clearer.

Much to her surprise the next floor was pitch black and for a brief moment she wondered if there were just no windows on the floor. Had there been windows on every floor before then? Could she remember from the outside what it looked like? Sadly she couldn't quite recall and found herself stepping forward into the inky darkness as slowly as possible so as to not lose anyone. "Try to stay close," she whispered as she turned back. "I can't see a damn thing up here so if you get separated holler, that way we can find you."

The next few minutes were relatively uneventful as she began stalking her way through the midnight floor but after a while a strange giggling caught her attention. It sounded like a distant echo of a child laughing but she couldn't track it with no visual to help her judge location. She turned around again to let the others know she was stopping but when she did the Persian realized, to her horror, that she was suddenly very alone. "Shit."

Nyx giggled again playfully as her first victim was tricked by the darkness into wandering away from the group, her soft laughs luring the feline further and further away from her friends. When the little kitty cat noticed she was alone the little ghost decided to begin the real fun, putting on her first of many imitations for the evening. "Help! Something's got my wing! Please...! Hurry!"

Raven heard Daisy's voice and began to panic, racing towards the sound and thanking whatever deity had though to give cats the most sensitive whiskers on the planet. They were the only thing that kept her from running straight into two large pillars. But as she got closer the voice suddenly vanished and the childish laughter began again, this time from even further away. What the fuck was going on!?

((Just to help out basically any time someone ends up separated from the group Nyx is going to try and lure them away with the voice of someone else in the group until everyone is far away from each other. My mimicked voices will always be in italics and underlined so there is no confusion about whether or not the real character said it or Nyx did. Once everyone is alone then the next stage of fun begins. PM me with any questions!))

When the group was halfway up the staircase, Lancelots' ears fanned behind him in anxiety. The darkness that loomed above purged everything entirely--he couldn't see any source of light, or hear any sound. Even their footsteps sounded more subdued, submerged in the all-consuming shadow. He stopped dead in his tracks, disregarding those behind him. "Musn't there be another way up?"

"What do you expect us to take, the fucking elevator?" snapped a grouchier-than-normal Ibiza (because he had just ran into the now stagnant Furfrou). He shouldered his way past him, cocking his head behind while one paw hung in the air. "Man up, pretty boy. Let's go."

Lancelot swallowed his pride, one watchful eye on the Archeops that would surely pound him into a pulp if he retaliated. "Certainly," he murmured halfheartedly. "P--pretty boy?

"Try to stay close. I can't see a damn thing up here so if you get separated holler, that way we can find you." Ibiza nodded, but Lancelot wasn't so confident. He had a history of rendering himself mute when frightened. But he shook his head and grit his teeth, taking inspiration from the Glaceon that proudly stalked before him. If he could do it, so could Lancelot. No, Lancelot could do it better.

When they arrived at the peak of the stairs, neither of them could see their own paws in front of their faces, but they pressed on. Lancelot bared his teeth with an involuntary growl, which was cut short when he ran headfirst into Ibizas side. Ibiza opened his mouth to retort, getting the slightest noise out before the Furfrou interrupted, "Before you retaliate, I can't watch where I'm going because I can't see." Ibiza settled for a disgruntled grumble.

But wait. He couldn't see. Neither could anyone else. As if it would let him know if someone was lucky enough to have night vision, he looked around him. No, they were all just ambling ahead. Lancelot didn't know it was him. With a sigh, contemplating why he was committing to something that went against all the stonewalled values he kept over the years, he nuzzled himself into what he assumed was Lancelots face (of which, fortunately, he guessed right.) He inhaled briskly, the scent of wet dog met his nose, but he didn't mind. Why don't I mind? Lancelot hitched a breath, and with a choked whisper, muttered an apology.

Before the Persian could turn around (as he was afraid that felines could see in the dark), he leapt over, far enough away that Lancelot wouldn't suspect the action was him, or purposeful. "It's so quiet. I figured we'd at least hear McChu wheezing from the exercise," he snickered. "This is the homestretch. We're good."

Lancelot squinted his eyes as his heart fell. It wasn't Ibiza who had brushed against him, he sounded too far away. Why did he want it to be? But deep within his denying soul, he knew why. Because he loved him. And with that simple thought, he fell. Hard. He thought of all those years where he had wondered where the Glaceon was, if he was okay. And he had loved him then too. And despite this new shell of a personality, Lancelot could sense that the tender Ibiza was still there, if he could coax him out. And even if not, the edgy attitude was kind of charming. "I would even dare to venture to say...kind of attractive. Everything Lancelot didn't have, Ibiza did. Linking his emotions with this new revelation made everything click; a deep wave of shivers took over as hearts formed in his eyes.

But the high came crashing down when the Aerodactyl cried, "Help! Something's got my wing! Please...! Hurry!"

"What the fuck?" barked Ibiza, whirling around in the blackness. How did any of them not hear Acht get caught? Was it some sort of assassin? In the moment, he felt like a frightened child again, like when him and a certain Furfrou were playing hide-and-seek and he couldn't find him and--

"Lancelot!" came the roar, as Ibiza braced himself. He had an inkling that soon, a blizzard would be coming.